More Reports Confirm Obama Admin Preparing for Supreme Court Opening

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 12, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

More Reports Confirm Obama Admin Preparing for Supreme Court Opening

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 12
, 2010

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — More reports are confirming the Obama administration is preparing for a potential Supreme Court vacancy in the next few months. Reports surfaced weeks ago that pro-abortion Justice John Paul Stevens was considering retiring and today, CNN said more recent reports indicate that as well.

CNN indicates the White house has begun "quiet preparations" for a high court vacant but cautions that top Obama officials have not named any names of potential Supreme Court retirements.

The latest session of the Supreme Court ends in June and the most likely scenario is that one of the justices would announce a retirement this Spring or Summer so a newly-confirmed replacement can join the court when its next term begins in October.

The machinations on the Supreme Court are of monumental importance to the pro-life community because of the wide-ranging effect the court has to abortion and pro-life issues.

The high court paved the way for 52 million abortions with the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions that still stand and still, despite modifications, allow virtually unlimited abortions.

Most of the speculation about potential retirement surrounds Stevens, one of the five members of the court’s current pro-abortion majority.

Stevens is 90-years-old and speculation reached enormous heights that he would retire when news surfaced that he had hired just one law clerk for the October 2010 term. Retiring judges usually have one clerk while sitting Supreme Court members have four.

However, Stevens has, according to CNN, privately scoffed at the retirement rumors but has neither confirmed nor denied whether he will retire.

Should he step down, the expectation is that Obama will appoint a pro-abortion justice to replace him who will vote to keep Roe and legalized abortion on demand in place for decades to come.

Obama nominated Justice Sonia Sotomayor last year, putting the first Hispanic on the court — but she came under fire for betraying the pro-life principles of Hispanic culture by sitting on the board of a group that lobbied extensively for abortion.

Weeks ago, ABC News indicated top Obama administration attorneys are preparing background information on several potential nominees because they are expecting not one, but two retirements between now and when Obama runs for re-election in 2012.

Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also strongly pro-abortion and who is battling advancing age and health issues, are considered the most likely to step down from the Supreme Court in the next year or two.

As far as Ginsburg is concerned, she underwent surgery for early stage pancreatic cancer a year ago but ABC indicated sources closer to her say she has talked about serving on the court for years to come.

During his State of the Union address, Obama criticized a recent Supreme Court decision that some pro-life attorneys and legal experts say could be used as a basis for overturning the 37-year-old pro-abortion precedent in Roe and Doe.

When the next high court justice does retire, Obama’s potential nominee will be scrutinized over their views and rulings on the issue of abortion. And some of the top potential candidates Obama could name are abortion advocates.

Elena Kagan, the president’s solicitor general, is an abortion advocates whom pro-life groups have already assailed.

"In the past Kagan has been a strong supporter of the pro-abortion agenda," Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the pro-life women’s group Susan B. Anthony List, told LifeNews.com previously. "She has vigorously opposed the de-funding of taxpayer-funded clinics which promote abortions, despite the fact that a majority of Americans do not want their tax dollars to fund abortion providers."

Judge Diane Wood, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, is a strong abortion advocate.

Wood ruled against bans on partial-birth abortion in cases involving legislation from Wisconsin and Illinois. She joined the federal court in ruling that Wisconsin’s law was unconstitutional under the Supreme Court’s first ruling on partial-birth abortions in 2000.

Judge Wood also ruled in favor of abortion advocates by allowing them to misuse the RICO law designed to control mob activities to sue pro-life protesters.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is another potential appointee and she vetoed numerous pro-life bills when she was governor of Arizona.

Leah Ward Sears, former chief of the Georgia Supreme Court and Judge Merrick Garland, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit are other possibilities.

Also, since Obama has already appointed a woman to the court, he could consider a male appointee and not face any repercussions.

Washington-based federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland and Cass Sunstein, 55, an old law school associate of Obama and head of a key White House agency are considered two possibilities.

Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com

Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report
Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.